ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wind — moving air
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com